DIY Life

From June 23rd to August 2nd of this year, I was in a frenzy of planning. So was my fiancé, as we both tried to carry on with our daily lives while planning a full-blown wedding by ourselves at the very same time.

You see, I asked my now-wife to marry me on the eve of our one-year date anniversary, and from there, the happiness and subsequent semi-madness ensued.

You see, with my then-fiancé, being an elementary schoolteacher, there was little time to actually get married, go on an extended honeymoon and then have a little decompression time after all the festivities were over.

We both did not want to wait an entire year (until next summer, during her break), nor did we want to squeeze in a fall wedding at the end of November when a few days out from school would have been possible. My schedule was pretty flexible, but hers? Not so much.

Our solution? Throw our collective sanities in the trash can and plan a full wedding and reception in only five weeks. We were exceedingly lucky to find our dream wedding location available on such short notice, and once we booked that, we were on a roll that would not stop for five straight weeks

We've come a long way since the days when eloping was a scandal and something couples did on the sly. Though most people still opt for a fancy wedding with all the trimmings, some couples want their Big Day to be, well, not quite so big.

There are lots of reasons to elope and many ways to do it without going to Las Vegas or upsetting your friends and family. If you want to say "I do" in this non-traditional but still romantic way, here are a few tips to keep in mind.